1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an exerciser, and more particularly to a stepping exerciser having an adjustable mechanism for adjusting the moving stroke or the moving path or the stride of the exerciser.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,383,829 to Miller discloses a typical exerciser having a pair of foot supports movable along an elliptical moving path or an elliptical stride which may not be adjusted. U.S. Pat. No. 5,779,599 to Chen discloses another typical exerciser having a pair of foot supports movable along an elliptical moving path or an elliptical stride. The elliptical moving path or the elliptical stride of the exerciser may be adjusted by threading and unthreading the fasteners which may not be quickly operated or may not be quickly threaded and unthreaded relative to the elements that are required to be adjusted. In addition, the exercisers should be stopped before the moving stroke or the moving path or the stride of the exercisers may be adjusted.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional exercisers.
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a stepping exerciser including an adjustable mechanism for easily and quickly adjusting the moving stroke or the moving path or the stride of the exerciser without stopping the exercisers or while the exerciser is still operated.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided an exerciser comprising a base including a front portion, a pair of bars pivotally secured to the front portion of the base and each including an upper portion for being grasped by a user, a pair of levers movably supported on the base and each including a foot support provided thereon, means for coupling the bars to the levers and to move the levers and the foot supports in a reciprocating action, means for adjusting the levers relative to the bars in order to adjust the foot supports relative to the bars, and a switch provided on the upper portion of a first of the bars and coupled to the adjusting means in order to actuate the adjusting means without stopping the exerciser. The hands of the users that hold the upper portions of the bars may depress or actuate the switch in order to adjust the levers relative to the bars and so as to adjust the moving stride of the exerciser while the bars are swung or operated by the users.
The base includes a post extended from the front portion of the base and having an upper portion, the base includes a rear portion having a pair of cranks rotatably secured thereto with a pivot shaft, the cranks each includes a free end, the bars are pivotally secured to the upper portion of the post and each includes a bottom portion, the coupling means includes a pair of tracks having a first end rotatably secured to the free ends of the cranks respectively and having a second end portion movably supported on the bottom portion of the bars, and includes a pair of links each having a first end rotatably secured to the free ends of the cranks respectively and each having a second end slidably secured to the bottom portions of the bars respectively, the levers each includes a first end pivotally secured to the bars respectively with a pivot pin, and each includes a second end slidably engaged on the tracks respectively.
The bars each includes a slide slidably received therein, the coupling means is provided for coupling the slides of the bars to the levers respectively. The adjusting means is provided for adjusting the slides relative to the bars respectively to adjust a stride of the foot supports.
Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of a detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to accompanying drawings.